Foldable deck-chair



Oct. 31, 1961 Filed Jan. 2l, 1958 F. EWERT 3,006,685

FOLDABLE DECK-CHAIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 By m m Oct. 31, 1961 Filed Jan. 2l, 1958 F. EWERT 3,006,685

FOLDABLE DECK-CHAIR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 31, 1961 F. EWERT 3,006,685

Y FOLDABLE DECK-CHAIR Filed Jan. 21, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 31, 1961 F. EWERT 3,006,685

FOLDABLE DECK-CHAIR Filed Jan. 21, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheetl 4 In vena/- F-z Evver' United States Patent O 3,006,685 FOLDABLE DECK-CHAIR Fritz Ewert, 8S Neumarkterstrasse, Munich, Bavaria, Germany Filed Jan. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 710,270 Claims priority, application Germany Jan. 2,5, 1957 1 Claim. (CI. 297-30) The invention relates toa foldable deck-chair. Its chief object is the arrangement and formation of the part serving as leg support in such a way that this part, being permanently connected to the frame of the chair, is held in a swinging horizontal position under the action of an elastic means when the chair is folded open.

The chair constructed according to the inventionoters av comfortable and natural position for the human body. The frame of the chair can easily be folded open and together =for storage with one single manipulation. The technical means for reaching these effects are not considerably greater than the ones used vfor normal deckchairs. The original form of a deck-chair is not changed.

In another embodiment of the invention, the elastic pulling means is not attached immediately to the leg support but to a frame-like intermediate piece which is linked to the leg support. By this arrangement, the region for supporting the legs of the user of the chair is so displaced within the chair that the body of the person using the chair will not touch any of the solid (wooden) parts of the chair.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the deckchair is provided with arm supports in such a way that these supports are brought into position by hand and wil-l return automatically into their original position before the chair is being folded together. For this purpose, the arm supports are arranged at the frame of the chair so that they will swing into position by the weight of the arms of the person using the chair, and swing back into their original position by their own weight after the weight of the arms has been lifted. This device enables the chair to be folded without a special manipulation for the ann supports being necessary.

'Ihe drawings show the three embodiments of the invention by way of representation.

With reference to the first embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the deck-chair folded open. PIG. 2 is an elevation, FIG. 3 a side View, and FIG. 4 a detail view.

'Ihe frame of the deck-chair consists of two bars 1 serving as back supports, two front legs 2 connected with -the bars 1, two bars 3 forming the back legs and two bars 4 linked to the bars 3.

The bars 1 can be lengthened by means of two bars 5. The bars 5 are connected by a cross rod 6, thus forming a frame; with their ends, they touch the ends of the bars 1, being connected to them by linkage. By sleeve-couplings 7 the bars 5 can be held in position against the bars 1.

For the forming of the leg support, the bars 4 are connected by outer cross rods 8 and by inner cross rods 9. Where the cross rods 9 are provided, the bars 4 are pivoted to the bars 3 by pivot pins 10. Each of the bars 4 bears a pin 11 projecting outwards and being arranged within the range of the neighbouring bar 3 for the purpose of serving as a stop for the leg support 4-89. An elastic core 12 is connected with its two ends to the bars 1, while its middle part is directed through the cross rod 9a of the bars 4.

The bars 1 and 2 are connected to each other by the cranked mounting-piece 13. The cloth 14 forming the cover of the deck-chair is connected with its one end to the cross rods 6 of the bars 5, with its other end to the cross rods 8 of the bars 4. Extending over the leg support of the deck-chair, it forms an undivided whole from the head part to the foot part. The linkage of the bars 1 and 5 is formed by flaps 15 guided in slits of the bar ends and linked to the bars by cross rods 16.

By means of the linkage of the leg support with the chair frame and in cooperation with the undivided cover cloth, the deck-chair provides a natural balance of the weight of the person reposing in it.

The chair frame can be folded together and opened in the usual way. For opening the frame, the leg support 4-8--9 is brought into the horizontal swinging position by the pulling force of the elastic cord 12 so that the legs of the person using the chair will find a comfortable and elastic vsupport in a naturalposition. In opposition to the pulling force of the cord 12, the leg support 4-8-9 can be moved upwards only so far until the pins 11 will be stopped by contact withl the bars 3.

When the chair is folded together, the cord 12 is released and the leg support 4-8-9 tilts down under its own weight. The sleeves 7 arranged at the back support of the chair are moved so that the adjoining small ends of the bars 1 and 5 are open, and the part 5 6 can be apped down aroundl the rods 16.

When folded together, the chair will form a whole and can be transported in a vehicle or stored in a room with comparatively small amount of space.

With reference to the second embodiment of the invention, FIG. 5 of the drawings is a perspective View of the chair folded open; FIG. 6 is a -top view, FIG. 7 a side elevation of the chair folded open for use.

In this embodiment, a frame-like intermediate piece is connected to the bars 4 by a pivot pin 17, said piece being formed of two parallel rods 18, two cross rods 19, 19a, and a cross band 20 strained between the rods 18. The rubber ycords 21 forming the elastic pulling means `are attached to the inner sides of the bars 1, in the draw` ing indicated by the number 22. They are conducted over the cross rod 19a of theintermediate piece. This intermediate piece will therefore revolve directly around the pins 17, indirectly around the pins 10. At the same time, extending freely into the inner space of the chair frame, it is under the pulling force of the rubber cords 21, so that a maximum of elasticity will be created and a most comfortable use of the chair achieved.

The cloth 14 is arranged in the same way as in the first embodiment of the invention. !In the present embodiment, it extends over the band 20 which is arranged at the outmost end of the bars 1. At this spot, the knee bends of the person using the chair will rest. Stretched out in the chair, the person using it will not touch any of the chairs solid elements with any part of his body.

With reference to the third embodiment of the invention, FIG. 8 of the drawing is a perspective view of the chair folded together. FIG. 9 shows the chair when being folded open. FIG. l0 is a partial view of the arm supports from above. FIG. ll shows the position of the arm supports when the chair is folded open.

In this embodiment, revolving arm supports 23 are mounted to the bars 1 of the chair and connected with each other at their rear ends by a cross rod 24 to form a whole. The pivot pins 25 are arranged out of center at the arm supports 23 so that, when the supports are unloaded, their parts 23a will overbalance. When the bars 1 are in a vertical position, the supports 23 will hang downwards with their parts 23a, the cross rod 24 touching the bars 1 (FIG. 8).

Each of the two supports 23 is provided with a pin 26 extending inwards -at a right angle, said pins being mounted to the supports with a ap 27. The free ends of the supports 23 have boards 28 for the arms of the person using the chair. These boards extend over the 3 ends of the supports 23 and partake in their balancing. When the chair is folded together, its parts have the position shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings, the arm supports lying parallel to the bars 1, their parts 23a extending downwards, the boards 28 extending upwards. When the chair is folded open, its parts will move in the manner to bel seen from FIG.l 9 of the drawings. The person lying down in the opened chair will press the boards 28 down and forward to bring them into position as arm supports. In this position the supports Vwill be maintained as long as the person lying in the chair will rest his arms on theboards 28. Any further movement ofy the supports will be stopped by the pins 26 touching the bars 1 (FIG. 11);V This provides a most comfortable position for the person usingV the chair. `It is understood that the arm supports can also be swung into position for use after the person using the chair has already lain down. When the larms are removed from the boards 28, the supports 23 will swing back into their original position under the overweight of their parts 23a. By the weight ofthe boards 28 theA supports are so balanced that they will return into the position shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings. At this point, the supports have reached the position they must have when the chair isr'folded together. NoV further manipulation of the arm supports is neces- I claim:

A foldable deck-chair comprising 'a back support of two bars and an end cross bar, a pair of front legs connected to the two bars, a pair of rear legs movably connectedvto the back support at the part where' the front legs are connected to the two bars and each having an extending portion, a pair ofv bars pivotally connected to the extending portions of the -rear ylegs and having `a cross bar forming a leg support, a cover for the chair secured to the cross bar of theiback support and the cross bar of the leg support, the pair of barsformi'ng the lleg support extending v -rearwardlybeyond their pivotal connections, and resilient means connected to the back supsupport to hold the latter inV substantially' horizontal swinging position. n f

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Great Britain ..-5. Oct. 21, 1953 

